#writing chatter

[swordfright]

csam is the most tolerable member of prison trio to write dialogue for because he's the one who most often speaks in complete sentences without a ton of embellishment

Q does finish his sentences but he also repeats entire sentences for emphasis pretty frequently, and don't even get me started on cdream ok writing dialogue for him is like emdash city every time. for every thought he finishes, he's already started 5 others that he didn't lmfao

[valoisfulcanellideux]

did you get the pixandrian "my name has been [name]" death speech thing in these stones remember from pixlriffs' outros?

Good catch! Yes, that's where it comes from.

In the story's canon, because those are the last words any Paixandrian will ever speak, they can't be in the present tense ("My name is") because that's how they might introduce themselves generally to someone else. Hence them being uttered in that past sense.

[365runesoftheamalgamations]

12 & 15!

hello and how are you?

Welcome welcome to the ask box, and thanks for dropping by! We think you are here for the Developing WIP Ask, so we will be answering for that, but feel free to correct us if that isn't the case!

Ask Game In Question! c:

Answered Asks Tag List (ask to be added or removed) | @andromedatalksaboutstuff | @bardic-tales | @lockejhaven | @midnight-and-his-melodiverse | @perasperaadastrawriting | @writingpotato07 |

And, for this one obviously, we are going to be talking about a WIP that has not been shown, but we have been HEAVILY thinking about, bc our brains can't be chill for more than five seconds. (و ˃̵ᴗ˂̵)

Twelve: What inspired this WIP?

Okay, so, if we can find it, we will link it, but the think that inspired this Work SO LONG AGO was this image prompt that we saw here on tumblr . com, and it just sparked it's own little thing. We never really developed it past a few thoughts with the prompt, but then our beloved Enchant came and reminded us of its existence and our brain is just, all eyes on this one thing.

Fifteen: What do you like about this WIP?

Um, ngl, we enjoy that it is a little bit different than most of our works? We don't want to say a lot about it and hyperfocus when we should be focusing on the arrival of NaNoWriMo, but we liked this idea for a Work bc it was very much the vibes of, "I don't want to deal with this, and neither do you, but somehow, we ended up in this burning building together."

This Ask Led To A 100 Word Drabble! ೕ(`･୰･´)و ̑̑

Into The Word Box: 14,670

[ukrainian-groove-metal]

I love the "came back wrong" trope but from the opposite side.

Imagine you are dead. And then you are RIPPED from the embrace of decay into the world of the living again. Your memories are hazy and you don't recognize any of these people, but they act like they're close to you? Like they love you? So you try to get your memories back, to act like you belong here, but everybody tries to forget you died. And you can't. It is omnipresent. And just trying to grapple with that fact pushes the people who "love" you away, and they're incapable of understanding, and they're so confused, what's wrong N̶̄̀O̶͛͗T̷̉́ ̷͋͝Y̴̎̌Ȍ̴̈U̸̓R NÄM̴̃͑E̵̾̇? And you just need them to understand, you aren't that person! You aren't! You don't know who that person is! You don't know why any of this is happening, but they're unwilling to bend, they keep insisting you are that person, your memories will come back, everything will be normal again, and you want to scream and cry and claw yourself open to show them you're different. Your existence as a being wholly separate from whoever you "used to be" is a sin unto itself. All you can do is scrabble for life and to them, you're killing whoever they loved to do it.

just. lots of fun in that concept, you know?

[somehowmags]

i’ve seen a lot of posts talking about nimona’s queer messages which is great! but ive not seen as many posts talking analyzing how both ballister and ambrosius were changed to be asian, which is a shame because i genuinely think its one of the most important parts of the film! a huge part of it is a deconstruction of the model minority myth and respectability politics, both of which are big issues in the asian american community. both of them represent each side of the spectrum, with ambrosius expected to be superhuman with very little support and ballister being seen as less than human, no matter how hard he tries- a monster.

ambrosius (who is now east asian, like his voice actor eugene lee yang, who is korean with chinese and japanese ancestry), despite being in a seemingly powerful position as head of the knights and a descendant of gloreth, he isn’t really given the kind of support that this position needs- he’s constantly undermined and belittled by todd, the face of the other knights, and when asked about his emotional state by the director, represses his emotions rather than talk to her about his true feelings. this is very similar to how asian american students in schools aren’t given the support they need academically by teachers and administration, as the model minority myth leads to them being perceived as more intelligent and competent than their fellow students and therefore not needing support. he’s also held to a higher standard than any of the other knights, being immediately placed into a position of power despite just being knighted, again a reflection of the model minority myth, since asian americans are held to higher standards unfairly. despite being technically better off than ballister, he has no support, no friends, no way to seek help for his problems, and, just like ballister, is immediately thrown away the moment the director thinks he’s served his use.

ballister is now pakistani, like his voice actor riz ahmed (no, not like pedro pascal. where did this come from lol), and i’d go as far as to say that he is also, if not explicitly muslim, heavily muslim coded as well. he’s framed as a terrorist by the white, christian institution, and from then on, it doesn’t matter how good he tries to be- everyone else sees him as a monster. he’s also from a lower socioeconomic class than ambrosius and the rest of the knights- while this is initially used to frame him as a success story, after he’s framed, it’s used to cast suspicion on him. almost immediately he’s othered, with posters casting him as a foreign invader sent to destabilize the city, much in the same way that muslim immigrants are seen in real life. even when he tries to be peaceful and good, it’s always twisted so that he’s the monster of the story. while ambrosius is held to too high of a standard, ballister will never be enough for the institution to accept.

which is why both of their arcs culminate in them breaking out of the system, learning to accept what they’d been taught was monstrous, and leaving behind respectability. it’s a genuinely great commentary, and i can definitely see why riz ahmed and eugene lee yang were chosen for this, as they’ve both done activist work for their communities.

[jaimistoryteller]

HAPPY STS!

What are your writing goals for 2023?

Hi @helathorloki!

This years writing goals:

finish editing Unexpected Meeting for publishing [only been working on it for 4 years cause life keeps happening]

get a few of the WIPs I have started done

get more of my old stories i found the original hand written or printed copies of, scanned in so i have digital copies too.

Thank you so much for the ask! Happy New Year!

[elatedfool]

thinking of men that screams internally whenever you introduce him to your peers or anyone as your husband...

or if you're not yet married, but you have the brightest smile on your gorgeous face and he can see the constellations glimmering inside your eyes as you gush about him to someone, praising him for things he achieved and did for you.

of course he's not going to start giggling n kicking his feet in public—but their cheeks and ears (or if they have tails!!) will betray them, warming up and twitching uncontrollably no matter how they try to cover it up. they just feel so grateful for you that their stoic attitude just melts down into puddles of joy whenever you do so much as the bare minimum.

[writingprettytrash]

Recently switched to writing in present tense

it just feels more natural?

[stave-writes]

Scruffy! (Various Dungeon Meshi Men x GN!Reader)

Summary: Your boyfriend really needs a trim of his stubble, and he's asked for your help :)

Word Count: 1711

Laios Touden

We all know Laios does NOT like being scruffy, especially when Falin tells him he looks like their father. So, it's a lovely thing when he asks you to look after him and help him shave.

Laios had been a little finicky lately, ever since leaving the dungeon he was a lot more conscious about himself. Mainly, his appearance. Rubbing at his new stubble and brushing his blonde hair that had grown out in places. Irritation was plainly visible each time he felt the slight scratch of stubble against his fingers, even a slight huff to his tone afterwards. "Hey, could I ask a favour?" was his innocuous question, head tilting back over the edge of your sofa. After an inquisitive sound of acknowledgement from you, a slight smile rose on Laios's face. "Mind helping me shave? I also want to cut my hair but can't see the back."

This is how you ended up sitting on the edge of your tub, scissors working away at the tufts of hair against the nape of his neck. Each little brush of your fingers against his skin caused a small giggle or shuffle from Laios, if he were a dog, his tail would be smacking against your leg so hard it'd hurt a little. A smile was visible on his lips every time you'd lean over to peek at him, and he'd look up at you eyes full of love.

"Did you know that tons of monster species use grooming as a form of intimacy?" Of course, you did, you're dating Laios Touden, if you didn't you'd have amnesia. Instead of an eye roll, you gave a little smile and nod.

Reaching his hand up, a pat against your leg was a signal he hadn't just passed out between your knees while you worked at giving him the cut he liked. A quick kiss pressed to your lips was a thankful gesture, nuzzling into your face before moving to work on shaving his stubble to save you from the beard scratches.

Chilchuck Tims

I see Chilchuck as the type of guy to have some time dedicated to a little self-care, although shaving isn't a big problem considering the half-footer's ageing span. But! His hair does still grow, so some help may be needed there.

It'd been a week since Chilchuck asked you to remind him to go get a haircut, and he still hadn't gone despite your near-constant reminders. Post-its on the counter, on his lockpicking tools, hell you once stuck one on his face for him to see in the mirror. At this point, it was getting ridiculous that he hadn't even gone to try and get it done.

"You're going to cut my hair...? I can just go get it done in town-" He huffed a little at you, rubbing at the back of his neck with a small frown. Your adamance had his stubbornness outweighed almost tenfold, so you rolled up a stool behind his chair and began to figure out how to trim his hair.

Hair was scattered everywhere by the time you were done, and Chilchuck's ego was only a little bruised by the number of grey hairs you saw while trimming it. He didn't seem to mind it too much though, the presence of a wagging tail that was usually hidden away under his clothing batting at your leg. At least his hair was finally trimmed, and a thankful kiss was pressed to your knuckles as you got up to sweep away the leftover hair.

Senshi of Izganda

Senshi doesn't particularly care for shaving or even washing his beard but knowing the kind of bacteria facial hair can carry (and after a lecture from Marcille) he's willing to have you help him with that beard the size of Cousin It from the Addams Family.

"Ah, I suppose Marcille's nagging finally got to me, that's all. I hope you don't mind helping me wash my beard, it'll take a while." Senshi muttered slightly, looking aside as he asked you for just a little favour. It was hard to ask such a thing from you, especially with how much you'd done already for him by just being with him. He felt absurdly lucky when you agreed, setting his helmet and upper armour aside to clean off his beard and hair.

It was a nicer experience than usual having a loving touch working at his hair first to wet it, then lather it and working slowly to get all the dirt out. It took a long long time to finish the first round of washing the hair and beard, alongside the several other scrubbing and washing rounds. It was an intensive process, but being able to smell clearly the soap in his hair was a good bonus, alongside the lack of a helmet.

Letting him dry for a few hours was the best idea you'd had this entire time, able to bury your face against the wall of fluff you called Senshi for a long while. The smell was great and the warmth was greater, you could've honestly slept there if you wanted. But, you had a plan! Readying a comb, boar bristle brush and your sanity, you began braiding Senshi's hair into long thick plaits and tying them off once you were done. It was tenuous but an enjoyable closeness, as you pressed your face into his back slightly. You couldn't help but marvel at your work when you were all done. The happy expression on your face made it hard for Senshi to resist placing a kiss on the crown of your head, a soft look in his eyes.

Toshiro Nakamoto

A large part of the teachings Toshiro lives by is to exist as a convenience to others, not asking much and not putting his needs in the forefront. So, when Toshiro comes to you asking for help looking after himself? It's a sign of trust. He knows you.

"You...would you help me?" Toshiro's voice is quiet and soft as he addresses you, a slight crease in his brow as he looks towards you. It's hard to be vulnerable around you even if you're adamant in your love for him. Even as you assure him it's not a bother to help him and that you're here for him, it's still... nerve-wracking. It's hard for him to settle himself as he eventually moves first to sit down on your bed, having you brush out his hair and praise the length and colour of his locks, he's still worried.

He's guided towards your bath and urged to get into the warm water, leaning his head back so you can scrub away any remaining dirt and eventually, he peeks an eye open to see your face as you work at making sure he's sparkling clean. The slight furrow in your brow, your intense posture and a huff finally as you finish cleaning his hair. He can't help but smile at your effort to look after him especially as Toshiro can feel the exhaustion melt away at your careful consideration of him.

Before he knew it, he was basically asleep in your tub, head leant back with your fingers working at his hair and scalp. The feeling of safety was all he needed from you. When it was done, he dried off and changed into some comfortable clothes he'd left with you before curling up beneath your duvet, head resting into the crook of your neck.

Mithrun of the House of Kerensil

Mithrun struggles with self-care due to his lack of desires and is used to being looked after by others. With you, though, it was different. Your touch was imbued with love, and you didn't choose to look after him because someone ordered you to, just...because you wanted to see him cared for.

Looking after Mithrun sometimes could be a lot, making sure he ate and bathed and slept all while making sure he kept his mana up enough for his work with the canaries. So, it'd been easier to devise a schedule for all the things that would need to be done by day and then by week. Three baths a week, each one day apart. Three meals a day, four hours apart except for dinner which was at 6pm on the dot. A good schedule helped you and Mithrun look after yourselves, but you hadn't quite yet accounted for trimming his hair.

It had gotten longer than you had thought before you remembered to check the length of his hair, playing with the silver locks that framed his face and moved to cover his false eye a little. With a slight curl at the ends and parted just along the side, it was an easy style to maintain, especially for someone so consistently fatigued. So, when it came time to trim it down, an afternoon was allocated and Mithrun was given a book to entertain him while you worked.

On the floor, resting on a pillow was the middle-aged elf who you were looking after. Tilting his head forward a little, you brushed through those light-coloured locks and parted them into smaller sections before taking them between your middle and pointer finger, working to even it out and take a little length off. This process was repeated for each section of hair, fingers lightly brushing his face at one point which caused a little startled jump to come from Mithrun, looking at you with his good eye almost inquisitively. In the end, though, you finished off trimming it all quite quickly, evening it all out and even taking some longer strands from the front and braiding them like he'd done when he was much younger...before the dungeon.

Even if it was hard to see, a little smile played on his lips as he embraced your touches, leaning back after you proudly announced you were done. His face squished into your thigh, a little bump of his against you like a cat trying to get their owner's attention. Taking advantage of your curiosity at this action, your hand was brought to his face and he snuggled into it slightly, enjoying the reaction it spurred from you. He may not desire much, but he knows how to love you.

[caffeinewitchcraft]

Descriptions are my least favorite part of writing, particularly setting descriptions. They’re very important but I always feel like time drags when I put them down on paper and that they break up the flow of my work. But, like I said, they’re NEEDED and don’t break up the flow at all! I just dislike doing them so intensely that I feel that way

To combat this, I’ve been doing a writing exercise lately where I choose a mundane object (like “dish” or “leaf” or “street”) and write at least three separate descriptions about them, usually in three separate states.

I described a broken plate, an ornate plate, and an old plate with knife scratch marks on it.

For leaf, I described a leaf caught under a chair, a bright green leaf in a tree, and a half-eaten leaf in a garden.

For street, I described a busy intersection, a street at night after rain, and a street in an abandoned neighborhood.

By doing this, I’ve expanded my range of “ready made” descriptions. When I write an urban scene at night, I can recall this exercise and reference the description I already made for “street”. I’ve found this helps me get through descriptions quickly so I don’t feel like it’s breaking up the work.

I’ve also found that it’s helped me find more joy in describing specific elements of the scene. By taking the time to look at objects around me and very intentionally looking for descriptions, I’ve found that I like looking at leaves/streets/dishes! I think some of that joy translates into my writing now.

Doing daily exercises like this is what helps me stay consistent in my writing practice and develop my technical skills. This particular exercise is about setting, but I also have a few for syntax, narrative time management, dialogue, etc

Writing is a skill! Nobody wakes up and writes the perfect story with all the perfect tricks of the craft. It takes analysis and practice.

[swordfright]

outlined the rest of ouroboros this afternoon, so now i'm fairly sure i know how it's gonna end and roughly how long it's gonna be (probably around 40-50k) n i'm really excited to write the rest of the fic!! there will be exactly one (1) c!dream pov chapter. it will be unpleasant

[valoisfulcanellideux]

Uh... did I say 'short story'?

I may have meant to say, "Oops, I think I've just come up with the next long-ass story i'll be writing once These Stones Remember is finished..." 👀

Copper King | Phantom Assassin darkfic, huh? Hehehe!

[the-desert-beast]

i find it fascinating that we never followed through on the sylvari racism, or the norn's fight to get their home back, or the asura's societal response to primordus' death.

[365runesoftheamalgamations]

Naming of the MC's pt.3

Thank you to the lovely @enchanted-lightning-aes for the tag! Here is their response to the tag game, please check them out! We actually have done this before with random names, but let's get back on focus on some main characters, shall we?

We will be focusing on our WIP, The Plague Begins With Me for this one! Which holds more common themes with the names than individual stories!

But for the most part, especially considering this work is set in the post apocalyptic World of Zeomia, we decided on more common names. We didn't really do a lot of thought and solid like, proper meaning and worldbuilding around the names bc we wanted to show that a lot of these people were just normies who gathered together in order to live!

Honestly, we did go with a bit more common names, in general, and we kept them more simple and plain too. Mostly just to show that everyone kind of dragged into the World of plague and disease!

One of the more intentional naming concepts would actually be in the Company names within the stories. They were made just to show who belongs to you, and as we write, a lot of our characters take pride in their Company names! It kind of gives that sense of belonging and helps give our apocalypse childs some semblance of community!

Tag List (ask to be added or removed) @lockejhaven, @midnights-melodiverse, @jessica-writes22

[whimsical-sonic]

quick sonic b4 work

[sanguine-arena]

one of my favourite writing stylistic Things (tm): using a phrase as a sort of repetition, but slightly modifying it little by little as the story goes on and the events of the story progress